Quote:
Originally Posted by blastingas10
So, I thought I had a fair idea of how to tell what key a certain progression is in. If it starts and ends on the same chord then it is In the key of that chord. Or whichever chord gives that feeling of resolving the progression (which is always gonna be the last chord) is the chord that tells you the key. Am I right?
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No, not really. Usually a I-IV-V chord progression starts on the tonic and ends on the V7. But it doesn't have to be that way for every chord progression.
Quote:
Originally Posted by blastingas10
Well I've got a new problem on my hand. Let's say you have practically two different progressions in the same song - a different progression for the chorus and verses, for example - how do you tell what the key of the entire song is?
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When you change keys in a song it called "modulation."
Quote:
Originally Posted by blastingas10
Let's say the verse progression is: Am/G/D/C. So this progression would be in the key of C because the progression resolves on C?
Now let's say the progression for chorus is: C/Am/F/D. This progression is in the key of D?
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C Major:
G Major
Am/G/D/C would fit within the G Major. It would be a II-I-V-IV (two-one-five-four) chord progression
C/Am/F/D
If it was in the Key of G it would be C/Am/F#dim/D
If it was in the Key of C it would be C/Am/F/Dm
They don't sound right to me played with the chords that belong to the scale. C/Am/F/D sounds something like Kurt Cobain. Hypothetically if it was changed to C/Am/F/
G which is a I-VI-IV-V (one-six-four-five) chord progression in the Key of C, you would modulate from G to C which is do-able. It would sound more Beatle-esque but I guess that is not what you looking for.
Quote:
Originally Posted by blastingas10
Keep in mind that those progressions are part of the same song. How do I tell what the key of the whole song is when both progressions are in a different key? I'm sure I'm wrong somewhere along the lines, but as of now, I'm confused.
I guess I could solo in the key of C for the verses and then in the key of D for the chorus.
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Quote:
Originally Posted by blastingas10
Edit: I've been working with the first progression. The one that goes Am/G/D/C. I've been soloing over it using a mixture of the "A" minor blues scale and dorian mode and it sounds good. That brings me to another question, if the progression is in the key of "c", why does a scale in the key of "a" sound good? I've also been using the "c" major pentatonic and that sounds good as well. I've even mixed the "c" major pentatonic and the "a" minor pentatonic and it doesn't sound bad. Why is this? Isn't it wrong to mix a scale in the key of "c" with a scale in the key of "a"? And isn't it wrong to play a "a" Minor scale over a progression in the key of "c" major? Maybe that progression isn't even in "c" major, maybe I'm mistaken. I'm hoping you can put some clarity on this for me.
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Well it would help to know even though it is called a minor pentatonic scale it's probably better to think of it as a Blues scale. IMO calling it a minor pentatonic is really a misnomer that can cause confusion. It's because the five notes in the blues scale are not exactly based on notes in a minor scales. The only thing it has in common with Major or minor scales (with the same key name) is the Root, Fourth and Fifth note with added Blues notes and lead in notes. The second note in a blues scale is
not a minor third but a Blues note. Actually the Blues note lies somewhere in between a Minor Third and a Major Third and it can help your playing if you know you should bend the second note a little.
Blues in A:
- A Root
- C Blues note - equivalent to a flatted third, but not exactly
- D IVth
- E Vth
- G Blues note - equivalent to a flatted seventh, ' '
- A Octave
The Wind Cries Mary Jimi Hendrix starts off with a Blues note; the tonal center of the song is F so the chords are Db (Blues note) E (passing note) F (the key)
I hope this helps some.